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Local, Backup, and Remote Mail Exchanger

This is a setting that tells HostGator how to handle your incoming emails. We recommend using Automatically Detect Configuration, but sometimes we need to change this setting in order to make all emails arrive.

  1. Go to cPanel and click the MX Entry icon.
    • Local Mail Exchanger - Use this if the highest priority MX record points to an IP on this server.
    • Backup Mail Exchanger
      • Shared and Reseller: This setting is not compatible with our shared servers; use Automatically Detect Configuration instead.
      • VPS and Dedicated: The use of a Backup Mail Exchanger with a VPS or Dedicated Server requires cPanel to be specifically configured to function which may allow spam to bypass filters* and that only includes limited support**.
    • Remote Mail Exchanger - Use this if there are no MX records that point to an IP on this server.
  2. Click the change button and test your email.
Notes:
  • * Use of a Backup MX Exchanger without significant exim reconfiguration or an external filtering service may allow it to be used as an unfiltered and whitelisted relay to deliver spam to your primary server.
  • ** We will set up a relay to use an external mail filtering service or Backup MX service, and will provide a quote for installation of plugins for cPanel. However, we do not support any relay whitelisting, secondary MX setups after configuration, or custom Exim configurations.
Please contact us via phone or Live Chat if you have any questions or require assistance.